Everybody Hurts
by unique.and.proud
Summary: Gibbs centric one shot. Set after the events of Judgement Day, season 5 finale.


**A/N: Another song fic, clearly the result of me listening to music 24/7. This time _Everybody Hurts _by R.E.M. Gibbs focused one shot. Hope you enjoy, please review and let me know what you think. Also apologises to any of my Protection Detail readers, hope to get that updated soon.**

* * *

Leroy Jethro Gibbs sat slumped against the frame of his boat. His tools lying redundant in various places around the basement. An empty bottle of bourbon lying on the floor, another hanging limply in his hand.

**When the day is long and the night, the night is yours alone,**

He drew in a deep breath and took another swig of the amber liquid revelling in the way it burnt as it slid down his throat. The night was silent around him and the semi darkness encased him, he closed his eyes breathing heavily.

**  
When you're sure you've had enough of this life, well hang on**

His thoughts drifted to Jenny, her sparkling charisma, her stunning beauty, her shining emerald eyes and sly smile as she looked down at him from the catwalk, her body mangled with bullets, her smooth milky skin pale and greyed in the face of death. His eyes opened wearily and he swirled the alcohol in the bottle before taking a generous swig.

**  
Don't let yourself go, 'cause everybody cries and everybody hurts sometimes**

He rubbed his hand across his tired face and placed the bottle on the cold hard floor allowing his head to fall back softly onto the wooden beam behind him, his eyes fluttering closed.

**Sometimes everything is wrong. Now it's time to sing along**

He saw her contagious smile, her young innocence, her mischievous eyes as he tried to hide something from him her body shaking with fits of giggles and he wondered at how he had managed to create something so perfect. A lone tear rolled slowly down his cheek and he didn't care to wipe it away.

**When your day is night alone, (hold on, hold on)**

He heard the rain hammer down outside and the harsh howl of the wind. His eyes trailed the room lazily in the darkness before settling on the empty bottle that lay opposite him. He scrunched his eyes shut tight and let his mind wonder again.

**If you feel like letting go, (hold on)**

He traced his hand lightly up and down her back, stroked his fingers through her fine hair. She turned suddenly tugging the sheets that were wrapped roughly round his body, and snatched his hand up in hers, intertwining their fingers before she leaned in for a kiss. A second later Kelly had stampeded into the room jumping onto the bed with her sweet angel like laugh.

**  
When you think you've had too much of this life, well hang on**

_What did I do to deserve this?_ His hand gripped the bottle again. Their faces swam in front of his eyes, everyone he'd lost, everyone that had been taken ruthlessly away from him, and he gently placed the bottle down again releasing his grip slightly.

**'Cause everybody hurts. Take comfort in your friends**

There was a sudden banging on the door. He rubbed his temples and focused carefully on his breathing. He allowed his thoughts to turn to his team. _Your old team _he reminded himself regretfully. The pounding on the door stopped suddenly and he heard the creak of the door above him.

**  
Everybody hurts. Don't throw your hand. Oh, no. Don't throw your hand**

He looked at the bottle still held loosely in his hands. Half empty. He heard muffled voices upstairs and the light sound of footsteps toeing across the carpet.

**  
If you feel like you're alone, no, no, no, you are not alone**

"Jethro..."he heard his old friend begin but stop short _because what could he really say?_

"Gibbs?" he smiled at her voice followed by the clunk of her heavy boots as she took as step down further towards him.

**If you're on your own in this life, the days and nights are long,**

"Ow son of a – Probie watch where you're stepping"

"You stopped right in front of me Tony."

"That's not normally an invite for you to walk straight into me though"

"It's dark. How was I supposed to know you stopped?"

**  
When you think you've had too much of this life to hang on  
**

"Gibbs are you here?" he heard Ziva ask cutting across his agents quarrelling. He rubbed his forehead as he remembered her fate. Back to Mossad. Back to Israel. _Because of me? _He reluctantly let go of the bottle placing it on the floor by his side.

**  
Well, everybody hurts sometimes,**

Ducky had made the final steps, followed closely by Abby who seemed to be hanging onto him for dear life. Her eyes a puffy red, her cheeks shiny, her smile a ghost of its usual spectacle.

**Everybody cries. And everybody hurts sometimes**

The others traipsed clumsily down the stairs and all five of them congregated at the bottom. Thoughts about their own futures momentarily suspended as they took in the sight. Their boss. Their friend. Their fearless leader.

**  
And everybody hurts sometimes. So, hold on, hold on**

He didn't lift his gaze, instead kept it trained on the patch of ground in front of him. He couldn't look at them. He couldn't let them see the pain that he knew would be evident in his eyes. They too remained standing in silence, not quite sure what to do, treading in unfamiliar territory.

**  
Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on**

Abby broke the stalemate first. She tentatively let go of Ducky and took a small step forward. She sat down slowly and deliberately, positioning herself as close as physically possible to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, nuzzling her face into his chest. He watched as one by one his team took up different positions around the basement. Never saying a word. Readying themselves for the long haul.

**  
Everybody hurts. You are not alone**

Through the darkness he looked at each of them in turn, their own pain and suffering clear in their expressions. He smiled a little at the sight of them, waiting the night out, not thinking about tomorrow. He swept the room once again his eyes finally coming to rest at the bourbon bottle next to him. Still half full.


End file.
